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Methanotrophy under extreme alkalinity in a serpentinizing system.

Alta E G Howells1,2,3, Kirt Robinson4,5, Miguel G Silva4

  • 1Blue Marble Space Institute of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA. alta.howells@colorado.edu.

Nature Communications
|June 29, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microbial methane consumption (methanotrophy) occurs in extreme high pH (hyperalkaline) serpentinizing fluids. This study found evidence for methanotrophy in Oman

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Area of Science:

  • Astrobiology
  • Geomicrobiology
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Serpentinization creates unique geological environments with hyperalkaline, hydrogen (H₂), and methane (CH₄)-rich fluids.
  • These fluids are analogs for extraterrestrial ocean worlds like Enceladus.
  • Methane production is well-understood, but methane consumption, especially at high pH, is poorly characterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate methane consumption (methanotrophy) in hyperalkaline serpentinizing environments.
  • To provide evidence for microbial methanotrophy under extreme pH conditions (pH > 11).
  • To understand the implications for interpreting methane isotopes in Earth's serpentinizing systems and beyond.

Main Methods:

  • Isotopic analysis of methane (δ¹³CH₄) to detect biological consumption.
  • Geochemical analysis of fluid samples from the Samail ophiolite, Oman.
  • Genomic analysis, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun metagenomics, to identify microbial communities and metabolic pathways.

Main Results:

  • Identified significant δ¹³CH₄ enrichment, indicative of methane consumption, in hyperalkaline fluids.
  • Linked this isotopic signature to the presence of methanotroph 16S rRNA gene sequences.
  • Discovered a metagenome-assembled genome affiliated with Methylovulum, possessing a complete methane oxidation pathway and adaptations for high pH survival.

Conclusions:

  • Demonstrated the viability of microbial methanotrophy in extreme hyperalkaline (pH > 11) conditions.
  • Highlighted the importance of considering biological methane consumption in interpreting methane cycling in serpentinizing environments.
  • Provided a framework for understanding life's potential in analogous extraterrestrial settings like Enceladus.